I'm trying to find more information on who / what organization struck a series of U.S. Pattern Dollars back in 2004. Most that I find are only attributed as "Private Mint." Does anyone have any additional information? Photos of a few of these strikes are below @Insider , I noticed that your firm is certifying, grading, and encapsulating these of late. Any information on these from you? Z
It seems to be general consensus these were made in 2004. I will let you know about the edges when they arrive Z
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2938772284...ZhW3ycVhAfKifIGifevIDoCdIQQyqVHxoChEsQAvD_BwE Nope. I don't think we were ever able to find out who struck them.
I've put several inquiries out there to folks who are very knowledgeable in numismatics. Same response, . . . . <crickets> . . . . . I've reached out to the primary seller of these as well. No response. I wasn't engaged in collecting when these first supposedly hit the market (2004). Does anyone know who the first seller was? That would be a good start. There's absolutely no identifying information on the original holders that I've seen. The "clandestine" nature of these is what has my curiosity piqued. As a third party grading company, it seems that you should have more information than the average collector on these. I'm running into the same lack of information from the other TPG I see these encapsulated in. For a while, I thought there was a fiduciary relationship between the primary contemporary seller of these and the other TPG company, but they disavow any such relationship, other than customer / service provider. With so many of these on the market, it's odd that the original maker is unknown, especially for work that isn't yet 25 years old. Z
I just received a few of these in the mail yesterday. The edges of all received are smooth. I was hoping that some would have been reeded. To me, that is a step up in quality. Z
I also believe that these might be related to the Schoolgirl Morgan pattern reproductions, but impossible to know for sure. Z
Hmm. Not marked "Copy", (presumably) not overstruck on actual $1 coins -- someone liked to live dangerously.
They are all marked. Some are very subtle, but the word COPY is there and all the same size. No micro-COPY stamping. Whoever made these did a pretty remarkable job of it. I've been comparing them to the original pattern coins and am impressed with the results. The original cardboard holders claim that the dies were engraved using the real-deal pattern coins as a go-by. That would mean that whoever did them, had to be very well connected to have access to the models. Z
Truth be told, I'm thinking that a LOT of folks know who made these, but for some reason ain't talkin . . . . . . . . . Z
I've already asked Carr, no response yet. It's not Landis style. I'm not on FaceBook, so communications is difficult. I've asked Mike Bozynski, no response yet. I've asked Robert Johnson, no response yet. NNC doesn't know. IGC doesn't know. Running out of resources. I really don't think that AliExpress was around in 2004, and if it were them, they would be more prolific I think, and IGC wouldn't be certifying and grading them, but I can investigate. The strikes look too good to be Ali. Z
The "suppliers" were, and so were the Ali Principles. The 2014 Hobby Protection Act commentary, including the Carr comments, RWB comments, Luke Burgess comments, Ken Tireman comments, Armen Vartian, et al. and the 2016 summary.
So I missed a point in your earlier response. Fill me in on Doyle. Also not familiar with those in bold above. Z